BERKS CONNECTIONSPRETRIAL SERVICES
19 N 6TH STREET 4TH FLOOR, READING, PA 19601 www.berksconnections.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: BERKS CONNECTIONS/PRETRIAL SERVICES IMPROVES LIVES AND CREATES SAFER, MORE PROSPEROUS COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING SERVICES, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION TO INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND TO THEIR FAMILIES.

PROVIDES SERVICES, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

REENTRY SERVICES - BCPS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO RETURNING CITIZENS TO SUPPORT THEIR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FROM JAIL OR PRISON TO THE BERKS COUNTY COMMUNITY. REENTRY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BOTH PRE AND POST-RELEASE AND INCLUDE: CASE MANAGEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, FAMILY REUNIFICATION, HOUSING, AND ASSISTANCE SECURING BASIC NEEDS. SERVICES, INCLUDING A MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP, ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO FAMILIES OF INCARCERATED AND RETURNING CITIZENS. ADDITIONALLY, BCPS WORKS TO EDUCATE EMPLOYERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HIRING RETURNING CITIZENS AND PROVIDES ONGOING EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT. IN 2018, BCPS PROVIDED REENTRY SERVICES TO 1,455 RETURNING CITIZENS THROUGH OVER 15,350 CONTACTS WITH PROGRAM CASE MANAGERS. REENTRY CASE MANAGERS PROVIDED OVER 930 WORKFORCE READINESS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES. THE PROGRAM MAINTAINS A SUCCESSFULLY EMPLOYED RATE OF OVER 57%. IN 2018, BCPS SECURED A CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO PROVIDE MENTORING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS IN STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR ON STATE PAROLE.

REBUILDING REENTRANTS AND READING (R3): IN 2017 BCPS WAS AWARDED A REENTRY TRAINING GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO PROVIDE A TRAINING PROGRAM ENTITLED REBUILDING REENTRANTS AND READING. THE PROGRAM OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A CRIMINAL HISTORY TO ACQUIRE SKILLS IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES. BCPS PARTNERS WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BEKRS COUNTY (HFHBC), NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES (NHS), AND THE READING MUHLENBERG CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER (RMCTC) TO PROVIDE THE THREE COMPONENTS OF THE TRAINING; CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AT RMCTC, HANDS ON LEARNING ON SITE AT HFHBC AND NHS PROPERTIES AND AN EMPLOYMENT FOCUSED COGNITIVE CURRICULUM DELIVERED BY BCPS STAFF. FROM THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION IN OCTOBER 2017, PARTICIPANTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED 9,175 HOURS TO HFHBC AND NHS. IN 2019, 63 PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM HAVE PROVEN HIGH LEVELS OF SUCCESS, 65% ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AND 93% HAVE NOT RECIDIVATED. THE FUNDING FOR THE TRAINING PORTION OF THE DOL GRANT ENDED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019, HOWEVER BCPS WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM THROUGH EARLY 2021 WITH GRANTS FROM THE BERKS COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE PENNYSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS A CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY OF BERKS.

COMMUNITY RELEASE PROGRAM: PRETRIAL OFFICERS CONDUCT POST-ARREST INTERVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS OF CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS AND FURNISH THE VERIFIED ASSESSMENTS TO THE JUDICIARY, EITHER PRIOR TO BAIL BEING SET OR AT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING. BCPS ALSO ASSISTS WITH JAIL POPULATION MANAGEMENT BY MONITORING THE PRETRIAL POPULATION AND PROVIDING ASSESSMENTS TO THE COURT FOR DEFENDANTS WHO ARE DEEMED LOW RISK AND ARE ONLY INCARCERATED DUE TO THEIR INABILITY TO PAY MONETARY BAIL. IN 2018, BCPS PROVIDED 2,187 DEFENDANT ASSESSMENTS TO THE COURTS.

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